Princess Lilibet‘s fifth birthday photos offered royal fans a new look into life at the Sussex family’s home in Montecito, California. On June 4, 2026, Meghan Markle shared a set of photos on Instagram to celebrate her daughter’s special day. One image showed the young royal walking barefoot through the garden while wearing a beige floral sundress from Cult Gaia. Another image captured a sweet moment between Lilibet and Prince Harry, giving fans a closer look at her growing red hair. The Duchess of Sussex accompanied the Instagram photos with a simple message, calling her daughter their “dream girl” and wishing her a happy birthday.
“Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili,” she said.
The new images also showed similarities between Lilibet and her mother. In addition to wearing a sold-out dress, known as the “Lola” for a second time in front of the camera, the Princess wore a gold bracelet. This type of accessory is often connected with Meghan Markle, who has frequently worn her $7,000 Cartier Love bracelet and her $27,000 Cartier Tank Francaise bracelet watch over the years. The luxury Cartier watch was passed down from Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
The birthday celebration also renewed interest in the Sussex children’s striking red hair. Both Lilibet and her older brother Archie inherited the feature from Prince Harry’s side of the family. Prince Harry previously joked about being surprised that the Spencer family’s famous red hair prevailed in his children’s genes.
“The Spencer gene is very, very strong. I actually really, genuinely thought at the beginning of my relationship [with Meghan] that, should this go the distance and we have kids, that there’s no way the ginger gene will stand up to my wife’s genes – but I was wrong!”